Crab Cakes with Fennel and Chives

Crab cakes are always a favourite and these potato cakes are flavoured with fresh chives and fennel seeds, then crumbed & baked or air-fried.

The long cooking time for this recipe includes an hour for baking the potatoes. But you can do that in advance, cooking the fish cakes takes around 20 minutes in the oven and 15 minutes in an air fryer.

Tinned Crab Fishcakes

My site is no stranger to fish cakes, they are an enduring memory of my childhood and I now make them from all sorts of fish.

I’ve got smoked haddock fish cakes, spicy Thai influenced tuna fish cakes, tinned mackerel fish cakes and fresh salmon fish cakes.

These delicious oven-baked crab cakes are my latest offering and they share much in common with my previous offerings.

I use chunky tinned crab and mashed potato as the base. Then they are seasoned with loads of freshly snipped chives and fennel seeds, alongside salt and pepper.

Just like most of my fish cakes they are coated in breadcrumbs and cooked until golden.

In a departure from many of my offerings, these bad boys are baked or cooked in an air fryer and they are superb.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sort of crab do you use?

Tinned crab, but if you can get dressed crab from a fishmongers, fresh or frozen that would also work well.

The brand that I usually use is Kingfisher and I opt for the Jumbo crab because it has big old pieces of crab.

Can I use any type of potato?

No, you want to avoid a waxy potato because they do not mash very well. I would use a Maris Piper or King Edwards, or something like a Russet if you are in the US.

Can I use leftover mashed potato?

At a push yes, but the extra butter and cream or milk in mashed potato makes these crab cakes very soft and they do not hold together as well.

What’s the best way to cook the potatoes?

I prefer a dry method of cooking because it leads to a very dry potato mix, I usually cook make baked potatoes in an air fryer.

If you are in a hurry the next best option is to bake the potatoes in a microwave.

Why do you toast the breadcrumbs in butter?

Baking fish cakes often leads to a fairly insipid-looking crumb. In order to get around this I toast my breadcrumbs in butter first.

Can I fry fishcakes?

Yes, absolutely! Add a splash of oil and big old knob of butter and fry them for 4-5 minutes on each side over a medium-high heat.

Can I make them in advance?

Yes, but I do think that adding the breadcrumb coating is best done just before cooking.

As a result, I would follow the recipe to stage 5 and then refrigerate the patties (covered with cling film) for up to 2-3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

I’ve served these crab cakes with some homemade tartar sauce, some air fryer corn on the cob and some salad leaves in these pictures.

As they are loaded with potatoes I would avoid serving them with a spud-based side. But, there are plenty of other vegetables that work equally well.

Roasted tenderstem broccoli would be superb as would my air fryer garlic asparagus. You could even forgo the tartar sauce and serve them with some creamed leeks.

If you are looking for a salad with a bit more “substance” then give this samphire and asparagus salad a whirl, it is the perfect match.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Device for cooking the potatoes. I prefer to air fry mine, but you could bake them, microwave them or even boil them.
• Stovetop.
• 20cm or 8″ frying pan.
• Oven or air fryer to cook the crab cakes.
• Baking sheet if you are baking the patties.
• Potato masher or potato ricer.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
• Bowls and plates to breadcrumb the patties.